What is SCRIP and why is TBS selling it?

Scrip is a term that means "substitute money". We know how tired of donation requests and fundraising efforts we all are. This is a MAJOR fundraising program that only asks for you, your family and friends to use these scrip (gift) cards to buy your everyday items - food, clothing, gas, makeup, entertainment, restaurants, etc. through TBS and watch our TBS revenue grow. Our ultimate goal will be to REDUCE membership fees and not have to be so reliant on donations or other fundraisers but the success will depend on YOU!

When you purchase scrip, you are purchasing negotiable gift cards that are used just like cash. The scrip is issued by the national, regional, and local retailers where many of TBS families already shop. These merchants want to support non-profit organizations, and in return ask you to support them by shopping with scrip at their stores. TBS members, your family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers can use scrip to purchase everyday expenses as an ongoing fundraiser.

Here is how scrip generates revenue for TBS. Because the scrip is purchased with cash up front, the participating retailers offer a substantial discount. After you place your order and pay TBS, TBS buys the scrip from a Great Lakes Scrip Center at a discount, and gives you scrip cards for full face value. The bulk of the discount - from two to twenty-five percent - is retained by TBS as revenue.

Scrip is "shopping cart fundraising".
The reason for the effectiveness of scrip is simple: families generate revenue through purchases they would make anyway. Groceries, clothing, toys, gifts, even gasoline can be purchased with scrip. An organization of 130 families easily spends between one and two million dollars per year on food, clothing and other essentials. If these families use scrip for these purchases, they can raise as much as $80,000 and more per year for their organization - without spending an additional penny on dues!